Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA doesn’t go to Extremes

This is a Tasty IPA without the hop excesses so common in American IPA

New beer products are always a welcome treat, and some breweries seem more inclined than others to continuously look for more ways to expand their product offerings. Boston Beer, maker of the popular Samuel Adams lineup of beer products, is certainly a company that likes to expand its base. Its latest offering is a style Sam Adams has offered before and is now offering again, much to the delight of beer drinkers everywhere. It’s Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA, an American IPA.Beer Bio:Style: American India Pale AleAlcohol Level: 5.8 percent by volumeCalories: 200 per 12 oz. servingCarbs: 12 grams per 12 oz. serving
Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is a copper/amber colored brew with a nose that is moderately complex, with hints of caramel, fruit, floral, and herbal hops. The head of foam on Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is good and sturdy, maintaining a small layer as you drink.
Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA has a memorable taste that is pretty much what you expect, based on the aroma. Flavors such as caramel malt, earthy hops, grapefruit, and other citrus stimulate the palate and encourage another sip. The finish is slightly bitter and the beer is actually nicely balanced for its style. Medium in body, Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is slightly oily, due to the hops, and it features an aftertaste that is very pleasant and tastes like malty, toasted biscuits.
Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is certainly a tasty American IPA and it’s a beer with an interesting name. It takes its title from the 48th parallel of latitude, which is the approximate geographic location where the hops used in this beer are grown. Five different hops are used in this beer, with some of them coming from Europe and some from North America.
Speaking of the hops, they are certainly the most interesting dimension of this beer for two main reasons. First, the different types of hops offer their own contributions to the taste, ranging from earthy, to citrusy, to floral. Second, the hops, while obviously present, are not overwhelming the way they often are in American IPA. Many other versions of this style take the hops to extremes, but Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA goes easy on the hop content, leading to a taste that is much smoother than other IPA.
Samuel Adams brewed an IPA once before, but it was quite some time ago and it is nice that Boston Beer has gotten back into the IPA swing of things with this, Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA. It isn’t quite as complex as some of its over the top, super- hopped cousins, but it is still very tasty in its own way and it’s certainly a beer worthy of sampling.Rating: 8 Cheers out of 10